Wet mops are commonly used to clean large surfaces such as floors. To use a mop, the mop head is immersed in a cleaning solution (such as water and detergent). The mop head is then raised from the solution and wrung out to remove the excess solution. The mop is then used to clean the floor. After some use, the mop head becomes relatively dry and dirty. Therefore, the mop head is reimmersed into the cleaning solution to clean the mop head and rewet it.
Wringing the mop head not only serves to reduce the wetness of the mop, but also to clean the mop head. As the mop is wrung, water carries dirt away from the mop head.
A good wet mop wringing system should require a minimum of effort to wring the mop, no need to make hand contact with the wet mop head itself or liquid running out of the mop head, and an easy way to rinse the mop.
Mop wringing systems are generally classified as being bucket mounted or mop mounted.
Prior art bucket mounted wringing systems are attached to wash buckets and use hand or foot pressure to wring the mops. Bucket mounted systems tend to be expensive and difficult to use. Placement of the mop into the wringing mechanism may be difficult. Also, bucket mounted systems require a combination of forces to wring the mop, the application of which forces may be ergonomically difficult. One type of bucket mounted wringing system is a compression plate system. This system requires the operator to hold the mop handle in one hand, while bending over and using the other hand to pull a wringing lever. Another type of bucket mounted wringing system is a pinch roller system. With this system, the operator holds the handle with one hand, while using the other hand or a foot to pinch the mop between two rollers. The mop handle is pulled upwardly to pull the mop head through the rollers. Still another type of bucket mounted wringing system requires the operator to simultaneously twist the mop in the bucket and push down on the mop. The operator must attempt to maintain the pressure centered over the mop head to most effectively wring it.
The mop mounted wringing systems can be classified according to whether the mop is a string mop or a sponge mop.
There are two commonly produced prior art string mop mounted wringing systems. Both systems are commonly known as twist mops and utilize mechanisms mounted on the handles. Both systems require the operator to simultaneously apply two separate forces to the mop. To wring, the mechanism is pushed down over the mop head and twisted. The operator must hold the mop stationary with one hand while twisting the mechanism. One of the mop mounted wringing system utilizes a large portion of the mop head strands for attaching the strands to the mechanism. For example, 1-2 inches of strand out of 14 inches is utilized for attachment. Consequently, a relatively large portion of the strand is useless for mopping. Also, the wringing action occurs over a long portion of the mop handle, wherein some of the excess water that is wrung out misses the bucket and falls onto the floor that is being mopped. If the operator holds the mop vertically while twisting, the wringing becomes difficult because of the awkward angle. The other mop mounted wringing system has grooves inside of the mechanism. This system, is shown in Yates et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,338. The grooves make twisting with the proper torque difficult. The length of the mop head is limited because with a long mop head, the upper end of the mop head cannot be satisfactorily wrung.
Prior art sponge mop mounted wringing systems suffer from several disadvantages. Because sponges lack the flexibility of string mops, the size of the sponge is limited. The larger the sponge, the larger the mechanical support that is required, thereby increasing the cost of the mop. The wringing mechanism requires at least one hinge, which increases the mop cost and the chance of mechanical failure. The sponge is coupled to a plastic or metal support. The support is made smaller than the sponge in order to avoid contact between the support and the floor or furniture (contact would cause scratching). Therefore, the edges of the sponge are not effectively wrung out (because the edges are not bound to the support). Sponge mops cover less surface area than do standard string mops. Furthermore, sponge mops become extremely rigid and brittle upon drying and require the user to wet the sponge before use.